PRINCETON,    N.     J. 


Wie.>,>,/n/ /y  T\.YX\sArm 


Shelf.. 


Dhu 
Sedicii 

Nttll! 


0 


IHE  CHARACTERISTICK  OF  APOSTOLICK  PREACHING 


^ 


'M^m 


UELITEHED  IJf  THE 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  PHILADELPHIA, 


AT  THE  OPENING  OF  THE 


GEKSRAI.  ASSEIklBLY 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES, 


MAY  19,  1825. 


BY  ASHBEL  GREEN,  D.D. 

XtlE   MODERATOR    OF    THE    PRECEDING    YEAR- 


PHILADELPHIA: 

Printed  by  Clark  &  Jiaser,  33  Carter's  Alhi'. 
1825. 


THE  CHARACTERISTICK  OF  APOSTOLICK  PREACHING. 


1  Cor.  i.  23 — first  part: 
"  But  we  preach  Christ  crucified — " 

It  appears  from  internal  evidence  that  the  epistle  in  which 
we  find  these  words  was  written  to  the  Corinthians  by  the 
apostle  Paul,  in  answer  to  one  which  they  had  sent  to  him. 
In  their  letter,  they  had  requested  him  to  resolve  certain 
doubts,  in  regard  to  Christian  duty ;  and  to  regulate  certain 
points  of  order,  in  their  ecclesiastical  concerns.  On  these 
subjects  they  seem  to  have  given  him  distinct  information. 
But  there  were  other  things,  and  things  of  far  greater  im- 
portance, of  which  it  appears  they  gave  him  no  information; 
and  which,  therefore,  it  is  probable,  they  were  desirous  to 
conceal. 

The  truth  was,  that  certain  false  teachers  had  crept  into 
the  church  at  Corinth,  in  the  absence  of  the  apostle,  and  had 
obtained  an  influence  which  they  had  used  for  the  most  perni- 
cious purposes.  They  had  endeavoured  to  persuade  the  Corin- 
thians that  the  apostleship  of  Paul,  if  not  altogether  a  false 
assumption,  was  at  least  far  inferior  in  dignity  and  authority, 
to  that  of  those  who  had  been  the  stated  companions  of  the 
Saviour  in  the  days  of  his  flesh.  They  had  produced  and 
fomented  the  most  unhappy  divisions  in  the  church ;  and  cor- 
ruption, as  usually  happens,  was  the  companion  of  discords 
One  of  the  members  of  that  church,  probably  with  the  coun- 
tenance of  these  false  teachers,  liad  been  permitted,  without 
censure,  to  commit  and  continue  in  a  most  flagitious  immo- 


rality.  Without  opposition  from  tiieni,  il'  not  with  their  con- 
currence or  connivance,  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
had  been  most  awfully  profaned.  In  their  publick  addresses, 
the  false  philosophy,  and  subtle  reasonings,  and  specious  elo- 
quence of  the  Sophists,  had  been  substituted  for  the  plain  and 
simple  enunciation  of  evangelical  truth.  By  these,  and  by 
whatever  other  means  they  could  devise,  they  had  courted 
popularity,  and  laboured  to  destl\Dy  the  influence  of  the  in- 
spired founder  of  the  Corinthian  church,  \vho  had  gathered 
it  from  among  the  heathen. — His  doctrines  and  manner  of 
preaching,  were,  in  many  respects,  in  direct  opposition  to 
theirs;  and  unless  they  could  subvert  his  authority  they  could 
not  establish  their  own. 

But  although  the  success  of  these  insidious  men  had  been 
worthy  of  a  better  cause,  it  was  not  such  but  that  the  Corinthian 
Christians,  when  serious  difficulties  and  embarrassments  arose, 
resorted  to  their  first  and  best  friend  for  counsel.  He,  with 
his  usual  address,  seized  the  occasion  of  answering  their  let- 
tei',  not  only  to  reply  to  their  inquiries,  but  to  reprove  their 
vices,  to  correct  their  errors,  to  assert  his  full  apostolick 
powers,  and  to  recal  them  to  the  purity  and  simplicity  of  the 
gospel.  Although  they  had  not  informed  him,  yet  he  tells 
them  frankly,  that  it  had  been  declared  to  him  by  those  "  ot 
the  house  of  Chloe,"  tiiat  there  were  contentions  among  them. 
He  lets  them  know  that  he  was  apprized  of  their  retaining  in 
their  communion  an  incestuous  person,  and  of  the  base  arts 
by  whidi  the  minds  of  some  of  them  had  been  alienated  from 
himself  He  addresses  them,  nevertheless,  with  the  utmost 
tenderness  and  afl'ection,  commends  them  freely  for  whatever 
was  praiseworthy  among  them,  and  takes  occasion,  through- 
out the  epistle,  to  mingle  much  important  doctrinal  truth,. 
and  much  pious  sentiment,  with  all  that  he  says.  But  he 
makes  no  compromise  with  their  erroneous  opinions  and  un- 
lawful practices.  He  insists  peremptorily,  in  writing,  oa 
every  thing  which  he  had  taught  and  enjoined,  when  he  was 
personally  Vvith  them.  It  is  while  he  is  doing  this  that  our 
text  is  introduced. — And  let  it  be  well  observed,  that  it  is  in- 


troduced  among  the  very  first  points  which  the  apostle  sets 
himself  to  maintain.  He  probably  gave  it  this  precedence 
and  prominence,  because  a  right  method  of  preaching,  or  of 
publickly  teaching  and  enforcing  gospel  doctrine,  is  plainly  a 
matter  of  the  utmost  importance  in  itself,  and  because  this 
was  one  of  the  chief  particulars  in  which  he  differed  from  the 
false  teachers,  with  whom  he  was  at  issue. — They  preached 
in  one  way,  and  he  in  another.  Their  manner  of  preaching 
he  pointedly  condemns.  That  of  his  faithful  brethren  and. 
himself,  he  not  only  defends,  but  declares  his  determination 
inflexibly  to  pursue. — "  We  preach  Christ  crucified." 

You  are  aware,  brethren,  that  what  the  apostle  here  first 
announces,  he  afterwards  dwells  upon,  witlf  great  emphasis. 
So  soon  as  he  had  yielded  a  little  to  a  tide  of  holy  feeling,  by 
which  we  often  find  him  borne  off  to  a  short  distance  from 
his  malt!  object,  he  returns  to  the  subject  of  our  text.  In  the 
beginning  of  the  next  chapter  he  says,  "  And  I,  brethren, 
when  I  came  to  you,  came  not  with  the  excellency  of  speech 
or  of  wisdom,  declaring  unto  you  the  testimony  of  God.  For 
I  determined  not  to  know  any  thing  among  you,  save  Jesus 
Christ  and  him  crucified." 

Here,  then,  we  have  the  declaration  of  the  great  apostle  ol 
the  Gentiles,  who  certainly  spake  as  well  as  wrote  under  the 
divine  guidance,  in  regard  to  a  system  of  preaching  which 
he  had  adopted  among  the  Corinthians,  to  the  exclusion  ol 
every  other :  and  as  we  have  no  reason,  to  believe  that  he 
preached  to  them  differently  from  what  he  did  to  others,  we 
may  say,  without  hesitation  or  reserve,  that  this  was  the  sys- 
tem, in  conformity  with  which  he  always  preached.  Must 
it  not,  then,  be  highly  important  and  interesting  to  all,  and 
especially  to  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  to  ascertain  distinct- 
ly what  this  system  of  preaching  was?  and  what  were  the 
reasons  which  determined  the  apostle  to  adopt  it,  and  to  ad- 
here to  it  with  undeviating  constancy  ?  These  two  points  I 
shall  endeavour,  in  a  reliance  on  divfne  aid,  to  illustrate,  in 
the  sequel  of  this  discourse;  and  then  to  make  a  short  appli- 
c,ation  of  the  subject. 


#  g 

I.  What  was  that  system  of  preaching  which  the  apostle  de- 
clared that  he  had  adopted,  to  the  exclusion  of  every  other. 

In  the  text,  he  calls  it  the  preaching  of  Christ  crucified. 
Here  it  is  manifest,  that  there  is  a  reference  to  some' one  great 
truth,  or  doctrine,  which  formed  the  substance  of  the  apostle's 
addresses,  both  publick  and  private. — I  mention  private  ad- 
dresses, as  well  as  publick,  because,  from  the  circumstances  in 
which  St.  Paul  was  placed  among  the  heathen,  much  of  his 
preaching  was  not  addressed  to  large  assemblies,  but  to  fami- 
lies or  individuals — from. house  to  house.  It  should  also  be 
carefully  noted,  that  it  is  plain  from  his  declaration,  that  he 
used  the  contemplated  doctrine,  equally  in  the  conversion  of 
the  heathen,  and  In  the  edification  of  Christian  believers. 

Now,  as  the  naked  and  unconnected  truth  or  fact,  that 
Christ  was  crucified,  could  be  of  no  use,  especially  to  those 
who  had  never  before  heard  of  his  name,  it  is  too  evident  to 
require  proof,  that  the  apostle  must  have  connected  with  this 
fact,  all  the  information  necessary  to  render  it  available  to  the 
purpose  for  which  he  announced  it  to  them.     He  must  have 
told  them  from  the  first,  what  necessity  there  was  that  Christ 
should  be  crucified,  and  what  was  the  great  design  of  God  in 
the  life,  sufferings  and  death,  of  our  blessed  Redeemer.     What 
this  information  actually  was,  we  may  collect  from  the  writ- 
ings left  us  by  the  apostle;  and  it  is  believed  that,  in  a  sum- 
mary statement,  it  will  be  nearly  this — That  all  mankind  be- 
ing, by  reason  of  sin,  in  a  lost  and  helpless  state,  and  exposed 
to  everlasting  misery,  God  our  heavenly  Father,  so  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life; 
That  Christ  Jesus  was  this  Son  of  God,  who  most  willingly 
undertook  the  work  of  our  redemption,  came  from  heaven  to 
earth  on  this  most  benevolent  errand,  assumed  human  nature 
into  a  personal  union  with  his  own  divine  nature,  and  thus  be- 
came God  and  man,  the  fit  mediator  between  the  parties  to  be 
reconciled  in  the  great  concern  of  man's  salvation:  That  the 
Redeemer,  having  taken  the  sinner's  place  as  his  substitute 
and  surety,  perfectly  obeyed  and  honoured  the  law  which 


man  had  disobeyed  and  dishonoured,  satisfied  divine  justice 
completely,  by  enduring  the  full  penalty  of  the  law,  in  a 
whole  life  of  humihation  and  suffering,  and  especiall}'^  by  a 
death  of  unspeakable  agony  and  infamy — denominated  the 
cursed  death  of  the  cross — and  which,  as  a  principal  part  of 
his  work,  is,  for  that  reason,  often  put  for  the  whole:  That 
the  Redeemer,  after  being  laid  in  a  tomb,  rose  from  the  dead 
on  the  third  day,  ascended  to  heaven,  and  to  the  right  hand 
of  the  Father,  there  to  appear  forever  as  the  intercessor  and 
advocate  of  his  people:  That  thence  he  sent  down  the  Holy- 
Spirit,  to  instruct  his  apostles  fully  in  the  nature  of  his  king- 
dom; to  enable  them,  without  study,  to  speak  various  lan- 
guages; to  confer  on  them  the  power  of  working  miracles; 
and  to  complete,  without  error,  the  canon  of  sacred  scrip- 
ture; and  also,  in  every  age,  to  make  a  saving  application  of 
the  Redeemer's  work  to  tlie  human  heart,  renewing  it  unto 
holiness,  and  implanting  and  cherishing  in  it  all  the  Christian 
graces:  That  for  the  sake  of  what  Christ  has  done,  God  can 
now  be  just  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus, 
even  though  he  be  the  chief  of  sinners;  and  that  in  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  he  invites  and  commands  every  sin- 
ner who  hears  it,  to  come  and  receive  a  complete  salvation, 
through  this  precious  and  all  sufficient  Saviour :  That  accord- 
ingly, whenever  a  sinner,  under  the  influence  of  the  blessed 
Spirit  becomes  sensible  of  his  guilt  and  misery,  and  on  the 
free  offer  of  Christ  and  his  benefits  in  the  gospel,  actually  com- 
mits his  soul  by  faith  to  the  Saviour,  as  his  sole  reliance,  he 
is  pardoned  and  justified,  and  shall  never  come  into  condem- 
nation— That  by  faith  he  is  united  to  Christ  and  made  one 
with  him;  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  imputed  to  him,  or 
reckoned  as  liis;  the  work  of  sanctification,  by  which  he  is 
prepared  for  heaven,  is  commenced  in  his  soul;  and  .the  grace 
of  evangelical  repentance,  with  Qyevy  other  grace,  being  there 
begun,  shall  be  cherished  and  carried  on,  in  a  course  of  sin- 
cere but  imperfect  obedience  to  all  the  commands  of  God ;  till 
at  deatli,  he  shall  become  perfect  in  holiness,  and  rise  to  the 
enjoyment  of  all  the  bliss  of  heaven :  That  thus  it  shall  be 


with  all  who  accept  the  gospel  offer;  while  ail  who  hear  and 
do  not  accept  it,  shall  be  consigned  to  hopeless  misery:  That 
there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and 
the  unjust,  when  the  soul  and  body  of  every  individual  shall 
be  reunited ;  and  when,  before  the  assembled  universe,  the 
Redeemer  shall  award  to  his  friends  eternal  life,  in  his  king- 
dom of  glory,  and  to  his  enemies  eternal  punishment,  with 
the  devil  and  his  angels. 

Such,  brethren,  it  is  believed,  is  a  statement,  materially 
correct,  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified,  with  its  essential 
appendages.  It  is,  indeed,  by  no  means  pretended,  that  this 
statement  is  so  accurate  as  to  preclude  all  amendment;  or  that 
it  may  not  admit  of  some  modifications,  \yithout  destroying 
its  essence.  But  it  is  maintained,  that  if  this  was  not  the 
substance  of  what  the  apostle  intended,  when  he  said  "  We 
preach  Christ  crucified,"  it  will  not  be  practicable  to  show,  in 
any  just  or  even  plausible  manner,  what  he  did  intend.  Much 
of  the  subsequent  part  of  this  epistle,  and  much  indeed  of  afll 
his  epistles,  demonstrates  that  we  have  fairl}'  represented  the 
scope  and  spirit  of  his  meaning  in  the  text. 

As  to  the  apostle's  determination  to  know,  or  preach,  no- 
thing else,  than  the  doctrine  of  a  cmcified  Saviour,  it  may 
be  remarked,  that  judging  of  what  he  delivered  orally,  by 
"vhat  we  find  in  his  writings,  he  certainly  did  not  confine 
himself  to  the  dry  and  incessant  reiteration  of  the  truths  we 
have  detailed.  On  the  contrary,  we  find  him  expressly  af- 
firming, that  he  had  not  shunned  to  declare  the  whole  coun- 
sel of  God ;  and  there  is  actually  apparent  in  his  writings,  a 
whole  system  of  theological  truth,  and  of  evangelical  ethicks, 
extensively  taught  and  powerfully  inculcated.  But  that  all 
this  is  perfectly  consistent  with  what  we  have  given  as  the 
import  of  the  text,  may  be  shown  by  an  illustration,  taken 
from  the  words  of  our  Saviour  himself.  He  told  the  Jews, 
that  on  two  commandments,  relating  to  the  great  principle  of 
love — love  to  God  and  love  to  man — hang  all  the  law  and 
the  prophets.  In  like  manner,  we  alfirm,  that  although  the 
apostle  declared  many  truths,  taught  many  doctrines,  and 


9 

urged  many  duties,  lie  still  knew  nothing  hut  Jesus  Christ 
and  him  crucified,  because  every  thing  was  made  by 
him  to  liang  upon,  the  cross.  The  truths  which  we  have 
recited,  were  so  much  and  so  often  insisted  on,  that  they 
formed  a  large  and  the  most  j)rominent  part  of  his  system, 
and  thus  gave  to  it  its  distinctive  character  and  appellation. 
All  his  teaching,  moreover,  whatever  was  the  subject  or  the 
occasion,  savoured  strongly  of  the  cross;  it  always  had  a 
manifest  consistency,  and  generally  a  jjlain  connexion,  with 
the  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified — From  this  doctrine  it  was 
often  immediately  derived;  frequently  it  was  little  else  than 
the  ramification,  or  carrying  out,  of  this  doctrine,  into  its 
proper  consequences;  and  not  seldom,  the  teaching  and  illus- 
tration of  some  related  truth,  serving  to  give  it  clearness  and 
effect.  In  a  word,  the  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified,  was  the 
sun  of  the  apostle's  theological  system,  which  imparted  lus- 
tre to  every  other  truth,  directed  its  course,  and  kept  it  to 
its  proper  orbit — The  sun  which  threw  off  its  beams  of  hea- 
venly radiance  in  all  directions,  to  warm,  and  cheer,  and  ani- 
mate those  who  were  already  sjiiritually  alive,  and  to  waken 
into  life,  those  who  were  yet  slumbering  in  the  frost  and 
death  of  sin;  which  gave  vitality  and  productive  energy  to 
every  evangelical  principle  and  precept;  and  to  which  every 
ray  of  truth  might  be  traced  back,  as  to  its  proper  source; 
and  to  whose  full  orbed  splendour  every  Christian  eye  was 
often  directed,  to  catch  some  glimpses  of  a  glory  too  intense 
for  a  full  and  steady  vision,  till  mortality  should  be  swallow- 
ed  up  of  life, 

J^et  us  now  inquire — 

II.  What  were  the  reasons  which  determined  the  apostle  to 
adopt,  and  inflexibly  to  adhere  to,  the  system  of  publick  teach- 
ing, which  has  been  explained — to  the  preaching  of  Christ 
crucified. 

There  were  two  reasons  for  this,  which  we  may  collect 
from  the  writings  of  our  apostle;  and  it  will  appear  that  they 
were  entirely  sufficient  to  justifiy  the  determination  he  had 
formed,  and  to  justify  the  same  determination,  in  every  mi- 

B 


10 

nister  of  Christ,  to  the  end  of  the  world.  In  the  first  place — 
The  apostle  knew  that  it  was  the  purpose  of  God  to  bless  the 
preaching  of  Christ  crucified,  and  ordinarily  to  bless  no  other 
kind  of  preaching  than  this,  both  for  the  conversion  of  sin- 
ners and  the  edification  of  saints.  This  reason  is  distinctly 
assigned,  and  the  explanation  of  it  pretty  largely  stated,  in 
immediate  connexion  with  the  text.  "Christ,"  says  the 
apostle,  "sent  me  not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the  gospel: 
not  with  the  wisdom  of  words,  lest  the  cross  of  Christ  should 
be  made  of  none  effect.  For  the  preaching  of  the  cross  is  to 
them  that  perish  foolishness;  but  unto  us  which  are  saved,  it 
is  the  power  of  God.  For  it  is  written — I  will  destroy  the 
wisdom  of  the  wise,  and  will  bring  to  nothing  the  understand- 
ing of  the  prudent.  Where  is  the  wise?  where  is  the  scribe? 
where  is  the  disputer  of  this  world?  hath  not  God  made  fool- 
ish the  wisdom  of  this  world?  For  after  that,  in  the  wisdom 
of  God,  the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God, 
\)y  the  foolishness  of  preaching,  to  save  them  that  believe. 
For  the  Jews  require  a  sign,  and  the  Greeks  seek  after  wis- 
dom. But  we  preach  Christ  crucified;  unto  the  Jews  a  stumb- 
ling block,  and  unto  the  Greeks  foolishness.  But  unto  them 
that  are  called,  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ  the  power  of 
God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God.  Because  the  fijolishness  of  God 
is  wiser  than  men,  and  the  weakness  of  God  is  stronger  than 
men."  No  laboured  exposition  is  necessary,  to  show  the  di- 
rect and  decisive  bearing  of  this  extended  quotation  on  the 
point  before  us.  The  apostle  reminds  the  Corinthians  that 
the  experiment  had  been  fully  tried,  as  to  what  the  wisdom 
of  this  world  could  effect,  in  teaching  the  knowledge  of  God, 
aitd  in  the  reformation  of  mankind.  For  four  thousand  years 
the  experiment  had  been  continued,  and  after  all,  the  world 
by  its  boasted  wisdom  knew  not  God;  but  was  sunk  in  the 
most  sottish  idolatry,  the  most  degrading  vice,  and  the  most 
horrible  wickedness.  This  had  been  permitted,  in  the  wis- 
dom and  just  judgment  of-God,  that  contempt  might  be  pour- 
ed on  the  proud  devices  of  men ;  and  to  prepare  the  way  for 
+hp  device  of  God,  to  instruct  and  convert  the  world  by  the 


11 

foolishness  of  preaching — that  preaching  of  a  crucified  Safioiu' 
Which  the  learned  and  philosophick  Greek  derided  as  foolish- 
ness, and  which  the  proud  and  prejudiced  Jew  found  to  be  a 
stumbling  block,  because  it  was  death  to  all  his  hopes  of  a 
splendid  conquering  Messiah,  who  should  raise  his  nation  to 
supreme  worldly  dominion.  Still,  however,  the  preaching 
of  Christ  crucified  had  been  proved,  by  undeniable  facts,  to 
be  the  power  and  the  wisdom  of  God,  unto  the  salvation  of 
multitudes.  The  doctrine  of  tiie  cross,  unaided  by  philoso- 
phical reasonings,  and  unadorned  by  a  specious  eloquence, 
but  in  full  opposition  to  both,  had  done  more  in  a  few  years, 
to  enlighten  and  convert  the  world,  than  had  been  done  be- 
fore, by  all  the  wit  of  man,  from  the  beginning  of  time  till 
that  hour.  Thus  the  foolishness  of  God— that  plan  of  his 
which  vain  mortals  had  esteemed  foolishness — had  been  prov- 
ed to  be  wiser  than  men,  with  all  their  boasted  sagacity  and 
refinement:  And  the  weakness  of  God— the  system  which 
they  charged  with  weakness— lo  be  stronger  than  men:— un- 
speakably more  powerful  in  turning  men  to  righteousness, 
than  all  the  fancied  force  of  reason  and  argument,  on  which 
they  relied.  God,  therefore,  had  set  his  seal  on  this  system 
as  his  own — As  such  he  had  blessed  it,  and  would  bless  it. 
But  as  for  any  difi'ercnt  or  opposite  system,  it  was  of  course 
theHm/of  his,  and  therefore  he  had  not,  and  ordinarily  would 
not,  use  it  in  his  service  nor  confer  on  it  any  blessing. 

The  sense  here  given,  brethren,  of  the  passage  quoted,  is 
coincident  with  that  which  may  be  found  in  all  the  best  com- 
mentators who  have  ever  expounded  it;  nor  can  any  other 
be  o-iven,  which  shall  not  manifestly  appear  to  be  harsh  and 
forced  in  the  extreme. 

The  reason  we  are  considering,  consists,  you  observe,  of 
two  parts. — The  first  is,  that  it  is  God's  purpose  to  bless  the 
doctrine  or  preaching  of  the  cross. — The  second,  that  he  or- 
dinarily blesses  nothing  else.  We  shall  dispose  of  the  latter 
part  first,  and  in  a  very  few  words. 

We  say  that  God  ordinarily  blesses  no  other  preaching 
than  that  of  Christ  crucified,  because  we  ought  to  admit  and 


\2 

remember,  that  as  the  author  of  our  text  was  converted  while 
Oil  his  way  to  persecute  the  Christians  at  Damascus,  so  there 
have  been  a  i'ew  examples  in  every  asje,  of  men  who  have 
been  met  with,  and  brought  to  the  saving  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  in  circumstances,  and  by  means,  of  the  most  unpro- 
mising character.  All  such  instances  are  striking  exceptions., 
to  God's  ordinary  method  .of  dispensing  his  grace.  They  are 
intended  to  exhibit  the  divine  sovereignty,  and  to  demon- 
strate that  although  he  usually  employs  well  adapted  means, 
he  can  work  without  them,  and  even  in  opposition  to  those 
which  he  ordinarily  uses.  The  instances  of  the  kind  con- 
templated, are  exceedingly  rare,  and  !jy  being  so,  evidently 
appear  to  be  exceptions  to  a  general  rule,  and  serve,  not  to 
invalidate,  but  to  confirm  it. 

Having  shown  the  nature  of  this  exception,  I  remark,  that 
the  position  we  maintain — that  it  is  the  preaching  of  Christ 
crucified,  and  that  only,  \vliich  God  ordinarily  blesses — is 
firmly  established  by  a  series  of  striking  and  undeniable  facts, 
in  every  age  of  the  Christian  church.  Did  our  limits  permit, 
it  w^ould  be  a  pleasing  employment  to  take  a  general  survey 
of  these  facts.  But  we  have  time  only  to  glance  at  a  few. 
Others  will  doubtless  occur  to  many  in  whose  presence  1  now 
speak. 

,  First  of  ail,  let  us  turn  our  attention  for  a  few  moments  to 
the  apostolick  age.  Of  all  the  apostles,  Paul  laboured  most> 
and  with  the  most  success.  Now  we  have  seen  what  was 
exclusively  the  method  of  preaching  adopted  by  him,  and  his 
immediate  associates — "  We  preach  Christ  crucified."  All 
the  churches,  then,  which  he  gathered  from  among  the  hea- 
then, were  composed  of  converts,  made  and  edified  by  the 
preaching  of  the  cross.  Nor  have  we  the  least  reason  to  be- 
lieve, that  the  preaching  of  the  other  apostles  was  diflerent 
from  that  of  Paul.  They  were  all  taught  and  guided  by  one 
and  the  same  Spirit,  and  doubtless  pursued  the  same  method 
of  spreading  the  gospel.  Beside,  the  short  notices  of  their 
manner  of  discourse,  -left  us  in  the  Acts,  demonstrate  that 
such  was  indeed  the  fact.     Peter's  sermon  on  the  day  of  Pen- 


13 

tecost,  his  testimony,  as  the  mouth  of  the  whole  apostolick 
college,  before  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  and  especially  his  dis- 
course to  Cornelius,  and  those  that  were  assembled  with  him, 
show  clearly  that  it  was  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified,  that 
was  the  burden  of  his  powerful  and  wonder  working  ad- 
dresses. We  may  therefore  affirm  with  confidence,  that  it 
was  the  preaching  of  Christ  crucified,  by  the  instrumentality 
of  which  the  whole  primitive  church  was  formed,  edified,  and 
established  in  the  world.  There  was  philosophical,  and  rhe- 
torical, and  legal,  and  logical  preaching  then,  to  the  utter  ex* 
elusion  or  complete  disguise  of  the  doctrine  of  the  cross,  as 
there  has  been  in  every  succeeding  age.  It  was  exactly  this 
which  was  employed  by  the  false  teachers  in  the  Corinthian 
church.  And  what  were  its  effects?  They  were  noticed,  in 
part,  at  the  entrance  of  this  discourse.  They  were  such  as 
they  have  commonly  been  since — formality,  self-exaltation, 
claims  to  superior  knowledge  and  sagacity,  controversy,  cor- 
ruption, immorality,  profaning  sacred  institutions,  and  aliena- 
tion from  apostolick  truth  and  apostolick  men.  It  probably 
was  never  made  instrumental  to  gain  a  single  convert  to 
genuine  Christianity,  for  our  apostle  solemnly  warns  Timothy 
to  avoid  and  oppose  it  altogether. 

Look  now  to  the  Protestant  reformation.  And  here,  if  wc 
inquire  why  reformation  was  necessary — the  answer  will  be, 
that  although  there  were  things  innumerable  that  called  for  it, 
yet,  in  the  opinion  of  the  great  reformer  himself,  no  single 
thing  demanded  it  so  loudly  and  imperiously,  as  this,  that 
the  doctrine. of  justification  with  God,  solely  by  the  me- 
rits and  righteousness  of  Christ,  had  been  buried  and  lost 
amidst  the  corruptions  and  superstition  of  antichristian  Rome. 
Yet,  as  fable  sometimes  indicates  that  its  origin  was  truth,  so, 
in  the  very  superstition  of  popery,  we  find  evidence  that  the 
doctrine  of  which  I  speak  was  the  doctrine  of  the  apostolick 
&<rc.  Had  not  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  been  prominent  in 
the  faith  of  the  primitive  church,  and  much  insisted  on  by  her 
publick  teachers,  the  superstitious  notions  which  afterwards 
obtained  in  regard  to  the  cross,  had  probably  never  existed. 


14 

It  was  in  place  of  the  sacred  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified,  that 
corrupt  superstition  and  will  worship  substituted  images  of  the 
cross,  the  worship  of  the  cross,  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  ve- 
neration for  pretended  relicks  of  the  cross.  To  banish  the 
superstition,  and  to  restore  the  genuine  doctrine,  was,  by  his 
own  statement,  the  most  important  part  of  the  work  of  Lu- 
ther. Justification  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  imputed  to 
us  and  received  by  faith  alone,  you  know,  he  declared  to  be 
the  article  of  a  standing  or  a  falling  church.  This  was  the 
theme  on  which  he  dwelt  with  the  greatest  earnestness  and 
frequency.  He  has  embodied  his  sentiments  and  arguments, 
in  his  practical  commentary  on  the  epistle  of  Paul  to  tire  Ga- 
latians,  made  up  of  a  series  of  publick,  popular  discourses, 
which  he  delivered  at  Wittemburg.  Never  have  I  read  an  un- 
inspired book  in  which  the  very  kind  of  preaching  which  we 
now  contemplate,  is  more  clearly  exhibited — strongly  marked, 
indeed,  with  the  peculiarities — some  of  them  exceptionable 
peculiarities — of  the  age  and  author  of  the  work. 

And  in  the  same  strain,  with  little  variation,  did  all  the 
reformers  preach.  You  know  the  effect.  Apostolick  preach- 
ing was  crowned  with  apostolick  success.  While  thus  they 
preached  and  wrote,  converts  were  multiplied  like  drops  of 
the  morning  dew.  The  reformation,  like  a  mighty  torrent, 
carried  all  before  it.  And  how  was  it  at  last  arrested,  and 
brought  to  a  stand  ?  Not  so  much  by  the  violent  opposition 
of  its  adversaries,  as  by  the  errors  and  misdirected  zeal  of  its 
friends.  They  turned  the  force  of  their  minds  and  the  vigour 
of  their  efforts,  from  the  defence  and  propagatio.n  of  essential 
gospel  truth,  to  wordy  and  angry  controversy,  relative  to 
points,  which  probably  none  of  them  considered  as  essential. 
With  these  controversies,  the  minds  both  of  teachers  and 
learners  became  engrossed,  parties  were  formed  and  embit- 
tered, and  vital  piety  wounded  in  the  house  of  its  friends, 
languished,  till  its  progress  was  almost  entirely  stayed;  and 
the  peaceful  Melancthon  panted  for  the  heavenly  rest,  that  he 
might  escape  forever  from  the  disputes  of  angry  theologians. 

Leaving  the  Protestant  reformation,  if  we  examine  the  ori- 


15 

gin,  and  instrumental  cause,  of  every  genuine  and  extensive 
revival  of  religion  since,  I  grievously  err,  if  it  will  not  ap- 
pear, that  plain  gospel  preaching — the  preaching  of  Christ 
crucified — was  manifestly  blessed  of  God,  both  for  commenc- 
ing and  carrying  forward  his  own  work  of  grace.  Disputes 
about  unessential  points,  and  forms  of  religion,  visionary  ex- 
travagance, and  corrupt  doctrine,  taking  place  of  sober  evan- 
gelical truth,  will  be  found  to  have  been  the  usual  causes  of 
the  declension  and  termination  of  these  revivals. 

Next  consider  the  effects  of  different  kinds  of  preaching, 
in  particular  congregations,  and  with  individual  ministers. 
The  distinguished  Chalmers,  has  himself  told  us,  that  he 
preached,  with  all  his  skill,  but  without  the  doctrine  of  the 
cross,  for  more  than  twelve  years;  and  that  he  neither  made 
a  convert,  nor  produced  a  reformation  of  manners.  Since  he 
has  preached  evangelically,  the  success  that  has  attended  his 
various  labours,  has  been  great  and  extensive.  It  has  been 
precisely  the  same  with  others.  Whatever  has  been  the  ac- 
curacy of  their  reasoning,  the  profundity  of  their  speculations, 
the  eloquence  of  their  sermons,  or  even  the  purity  of  moral 
conduct  which  they  have  recommended,  if  Christ  crucified 
has  not  been  their  frequent  and  animating  theme,  nothing 
better  has  usually  been  seen  in  their  congregations  than 
decency  of  deportment,  and  some  regard  to  the  exterior  of 
religion — the  form  of  godliness  without  its  power.  Often, 
indeed,  even  this  has  been  wanting;  and  in  its  place  dissi- 
pation and  profligacy  have  been  notoriously  prevalent.  On 
the  contrary,  the  congregation  shall  rarely  if  ever  be  found, 
in  which  evangelical  truth  has  been  ably,  faithfully,  and  per- 
severingly  preached,  without  being  visibly  blessed — often  to 
a  marked  revival  of  vital  piety;  nearly  always,  to  its  preser- 
vation and  increase. 

Let  us  next  consult  the  modern  missionaries  to  the  heathen. 
And  here,  would  your  time  and  my  strength  permit,  I  should 
quote  to  you  largely  from  the  journal  of  our  own  Brainard. 
If  he  had  written  with  a  view  to  favour  my  present  design, 
he  could  not  have  written  more  to  the  purpose.     Take  the 


16 

following  short  specimens,  which  would  be  rendered  far  more 
impressive,  if  I  could  give  you  the  context  of  the  passages 
which  1  shall  repeat.  "  I  can't  but  take  notice,"  says  Brai- 
nard,  "  that  I  have,  in  the  general,  ever  since  my  first  coming 
among  these  Indians  in  New  Jersey,  been  favoured  with  that 
assistance,  which  to  me  is  uncommon,  in  preaching  Christ 
crucified,  and  making  him  the  centre  and  mark  to  which  all 
my  discourses  among  them  were  directed. — And  never  did  I 
find  so  much  freedom  and  assistance,  in  makins:  all  the  various 
lines  of  my  discourses  meet  together,  and  centre  in  Christ, 
as  I  have  fre<]uently  done  among  these  Indians. — I  don't  men- 
tion these  things  as  a  recommendation  of  my  own  perform- 
ances; for  I'm  sure  I  found,  from  time  to  time,  that  I  had  no 
skill  or  wisdom  for  my  great  work;  and  knew  not  how  to 
choose  out  acceptable  words,  proper  to  address  poor  benight- 
ed Pagans  with!  But  thus  God  was  pleased  to  help  me  "not 
to  know  any  thing  among  them,  save  Jesus  Christ  and  him 
crucified."  Thus  I  was  enabled  to  show  them  their  misery 
and  undoneness  without  him,  and  to  represent  his  complete 
■fitness  to  redeem  and  save  them.  And  this  was  the  preach- 
ing God  made  use  of,  for  the  awakening  of  sinners,  and  the 
propagation  of  this  work  of  grace  among  the  Indians. — And 
'twas  remarkable,  from  time  to  time,  that  when  I  was  favour- 
ed with  any  special  freedom  in  discoursing  o^  the  ability  and 
willifigness  of  Christ  to  save  siiiners,  and  the  need  they 
stood  in  of  such  a  Saviour,  there  was  then  the  greatest  ap- 
pearance of  divine  power,  in  awakening  numbers  of  secure 
souls,  promoting  conviction  begun,  and  comforting  the  dis- 
tressed." 

Such  is  the  testimony,  with  much  of  the  same  import,  of 
the  humble,  holy,  apostolick  Brainard. 

And  in  perfect  conformity  with  this,  is  the  testimony  given 
by  the  missionaries  of  the  Moravians,  or  United  Brethren,  of 
their  success  among  the  Esquimaux  Indians.  Their  account 
of  it  is  generally  known,  and  is  ver}-  summarily  this. — After 
endeavouring,  for  a  length  of  time,  to  indoctrinate  their  pagan 
charge,  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  as  the  Creator,  preserver. 


17 

and  judge  of  the  world,  and  by  this  knowledge  to  rouse  the 
attention  and  alarm  the  fears  of  the  Indians,  and  prepare  them 
for  evangelical  truth,  they  found  that  they  had  produced  no 
practical  effect  whatever;  and  could  scarcely,  indeed,  gain 
the  attention  of  their  wretched  hearers.  As  a  last  effort,  they 
directed  them  at  once  to  "  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh 
away  the  sins  of  the  world." — They  told  them  of  the  Son  of 
God,  coming  from  heaven  to  earth,  to  suffer,  bleed,  and  die 
on  the  cross,  to  save  them  from  eternal  perdition.  This  was 
the  truth  that  God  blessed.  The  hearts  of  the  Esquimaux, 
cold  before  to  the  messages  of  grace  as  the  polar  snows  with 
which  they  were  surrounded,  melted  rapidly  under  these  rays 
from  the  sun  of  righteousness.  They  prostrated  themselves 
at  the  foot  of  a  dying  Saviour's  cross,  and  cried  "  Lord 
Jesus,  save  us,  or  we  perish  forever — "  Having  mentioned 
the  United  Brethren  and  their  missionaries,  I  cannot  forbear 
to  remark,  that  they  have  always  been  distinguished  as  a 
Christian  sect,  for  their  constant  and  abundant  reference  to 
the  Saviour  and  his  cross.  And  where  can  we  find  more 
Self  denial,  more  gospel  simplicity,  and  greater  zeal  to  pro- 
mote the  cause  of  the  Redeemer,  than  have  appeared  among 
these  excellent  people — the  pioneers  and  examples  of  modern 
missionaries? 

But  among  the  most  cultivated,  as  well  as  among  the  most 
savage,  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  has  been  pre-eminently 
blessed.  Infidels  who  had  long  held  out  against  the  most 
acute  and  learned  reasonings,  and  even  boasted  of  their 
triumphs  in  the  field  of  argument,  have  sometimes,  on  hear- 
ing a  plain,  practical,  gospel  sermon,  or  a  private  exhibition 
of  gospel  truth,  been  pricked  to  the  heart,  humbled  in  the 
dust  at  the  feet  of  that  Saviour  whom  they  had  before  blas- 
phemed, and  found  redemption  and  consolation  through  that 
precious  blood,  which  once  they  had  impiously  trampled 
hnder  their  feet. 

As  to  practical  Christians,  fully  indoctrinated  in  the  truths 
of  the  gospel — no  matter  how  dissimilar  their  circumstances 
and  character — the  most  erudite  as  well  as  the  most  uuletter- 


18 

fed,  the  old  and  the  j^oung,  male  and  female,  bond  and  free— 
they  may  all  be  appealed  to  with  confidence,  to  decide  on 
the  point  before  us,  as  a  matter  of  experience  with  them- 
selves. Ask  them,  what  is  the  preaching  that  is  most  blessed 
to  their  souls?  What  most  tends  to  banish  their  gloom,  to 
nourish  their  faith,  to  encourage  their  hopes,  to  dispel 
their  fears?  What  soonest  and  most  completely  dissolves 
their  whole  souls  into  a  sweet  flow  of  holy  gratitude  and 
love?  What  fills  them  with  the  greatest  hatred  of  all  sin, 
and  the  strongest  desires  after  an  entire  deliverance  from  its 
thraldom  ?  What  animates  them  most  in  all  duty  ?  What 
engages  them  to  labour  most  earnestly  and  cheerfully  for  the 
salvation  of  others?  What  disposes  them  most  unreservedly 
jind  sincerely  to  devote  all  that  they  have  and  are  to  the  ser- 
vice and  glory  of  God  their  Saviour?  With  one  consent  they 
will  answer,  in  the  language  of  the  author  of  our  text — "  The 
love  of  Christ  constraineth  us;"  and  they  will  assign  the 
apostle's  reason  too  : — "  For  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died 
for  all,  then  were  all  dead,  and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they 
which  live,  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but 
unto  him  that  died  for  them  and  rose  again — "  With  entire 
unanimity  they  will -testify,  that  in  general  those  sermons 
edify,  and  delight,  and  animate  them  the  most,  in  which  are 
set  forth  in  a  truly  scriptural  manner,  the  all  sufficienc}'  and 
wonderful  suitableness  of  Christ;  his  dying  love;  his  finished 
righteousness;  his  prevalent  intercession;  his  faithfulness  to 
liis  promises;  his  perfect  example;  his  sympathy  with  all  his 
members;  the  glory  of  God,  as  it  shines' ia  the  union  and  dis- 
play of  all  the  divine  attributes  in  the  astonishing  plan  of 
man's  redemption;  and  the  beatifick  vision  of  this  glory, 
which  his  redeemed  people  shall  soon  possess,  in  the  imme- 
diate presence  of  their  ascended  Saviour,  and  which  shall  be 
as  lasting  as  eternity. 

But  especially,  if  j'ou  observe  the  believer  in  the  near 
prospect  of  death,  you  shall  then  find  that  a  crucified  Saviour 
is  his  all  in  all.  I  do  not  say  that  all  real  believers  triumph 
in  death.     But  assuredly  many  do;  and  »\\  would,  if  they 


19 

could  see  tlieir  state  to  be  what  it  actually  is. — Probably  the 
following  language  is,  in  substance,  that  which  a  number 
present  have  in  fact  heard — certainly  it  is  such  as  at  least  one 
lias  heard — from  an  eminent  Ciiristian,  when  entering  the 
dark  valley — "  All  my  hope  is  in  the  finished  righteousness 
of  my  dear,  my  adored  Redeemer.  But  there  my  hope  is 
strong;  it  is  my  anchor  within  the  vail.  True  it  is,  I  never 
did  see  myself  to  be  more  polluted  and  undeserving  as  a  sin- 
ner, than  I  now  see  myself.  But  I  see  such  an  infinite  ful- 
ness in  Christ,  and  such  a  freeness  in  the  offer  of  all  the  bene- 
fits of  his  purchase,  and  I  feel  such  a  delight  and  confidence 
in  trusting  my  soul  vvith  him — simply  on  his  word  and  ivar- 
rant,  and  such  an  ardent  desire  to  be  eternally  set  free  from 
all  sin,  and  be  made  perfectl}'  holy  in  his  blissful  presence, 
that  I  know  I  am  accepted.  Yes,  most  unworthy  as  I  am, 
^  I  know  in  whom  I  have  believed,  and  that  he  is  able  to 
keep  that  which  I  have  committed  to  him  against  that  day/ 
Therefore,  welcome,  thrice  welcome,  death!  '0  death, 
where  is  thy  sting !  0  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  !  The 
sting  of  death  is  sin,  and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law,  but 
thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth  me  the  victory,  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  " 

Thus,  brethren,  I  think  it  clearly  appears,  from  undeniable 
facts,  that  God  blesses  the  preaching  of  Christ  crucified,  both 
for  the  conversion  of  sinners  and  the  edification  of  saints; 
and  that  he  ordinarily  blesses  nothing  else.  Now,  of  this  no 
man  that  ever  lived  was  more  sensible  than  the  apostle  Paul; 
and  hence  the  inflexible  purpose  which  he  formed,  that  this 
exclusively  should  be  the  matter  of  his  preaching.  He  sure- 
ly needed  nothing  more  than  this,  to  bear  him  out  in  the  de- 
termination which  he  avowed.  For  if  we  know  that  any 
appointment  is  of  God,  although  we  cannot  discern  the  wis- 
dom of  it,  yet  wc  certainly  know  that  it  must  be  wise,  be- 
cause it  comes  from  the  infinite  source  both  of  wisdom  and 
goodness;  and  therefore  it  becomes  our  duty  to  conform  to 
it  promptly  and  cheerfully.  Some  of  the  divine  appoint- 
ments have  partaken  in  a  degree  of  this  obscure  character. 


S'O 

But  to  thobc  who  love  tiic  truth,  there  is  no  obscurity  what- 
ever in  this  appointment.  On  the  contrary,  its  wisdom  is  most 
apparent;  and  doubtless  it  was  seen  to  be  so  by  the  apostle :  for^ 

2d.  It  may  be  shown,  that  every  doctrine  and  duty  of  true 
religion  may  be  best  illustrated,  and  most  powerfully  enforced, 
by  a  reference  to  a  crucified  Saviour.*  To  do  justice  to  this 
position,  would  require  a  whole  discourse,  in  place  of  a  small 
part  of  one,  which  is  already  trespassing  on  ordinary  bounds. 
We  can  only  advert,  in  the  most  cursory  manner,  to  a  few 
leading  points  of  practical  Christianity,  and  show,  in  a  sen- 
tence or  two,  the  illustration  and  enforcement  they  may  re- 
ceive from  the  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified. 

Human  depravity,  the  evil  of  sin,  God's  hatred  of  it,  and  his 
unchangeable  determination  that  it  shall  never  go  unpunished, 
are  truths  which  lie  at  the  foundation  of  all  genuine  piety ; 
and  all  these  truths  may  be  most  clearly  and  impressively 
taught  from  the  cross  of  Christ.  How  deeply  must  that  moral 
being  be  polluted  and  depraved,  who  can  never  be  cleansed, 
till  he  is  washed  in  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  never 
become  holy,  till  he  is  created  anew  by  the  Holy  Ghost! 
And  what  must  be  the  extent  and  malignity  of  that  evil, 
which  could  not  be  expiated,  so  as  to  render  its  pardon  con- 
sistent with  the  justice  of  the  Deity,  but  by  the  inconceivable 
agonies  of  Getliscmane,  and  the  accursed  death  of  Calvary — 
of  Him  who  was  Emmanuel,  God  with  us!  And  how  must 
God  hate  all  sin,  and  never  fiiil  to  punish  it  in  the  most  awful 
manner,  when  he  would  make  no  abatement  in  tlie  sufferings 
of  a  sinless  Saviour — his  well-beloved  Son — when  he  only 
stood,  and  in  boundless  compassion  too,  in  the  sinner's  place! 
''If  these  things  were  done  in  the  green  tree,  what  shall  be 
done  in  the  dry  !"  Look  to  the  cross  of  Christ,  rather  than  to 
tlie  flames  of  Tophet,  if  3'ou  would  have  the  most  impressive 
view  that  you  can  ever  take  of  the  evil  of  sin,  of  God's  abhor- 
rence of  it,  and  of  the  certainty  and  severity  of  its  punishment. 

But  *'  God  is  love.*' — It  is  essential  that  he  be  so  represented, 

*  When  this  discourse  was  delivered,  the  most  of  the  illustration  under 
''his  particular  was  omitted. 


21 

at  the  same  time  that  he  is  exhibited  as  inflexibly  just.  And 
"  herein  is  love;  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved 
us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  lor  our  sins — God 
commendeth  his  love  towards  us,  in  that  while  we  were  yet 
sinners,  Christ  died  for  us — what  manner  of  love  the  Father 
hath  bestowed  on  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of 
God !"  The  love,  grace,  mercy,  and  compassion  of  God,  can 
never  be  shown  in  any  other  way,  that  will,  for  a  moment, 
bear  a  comparison  with  the  exhibition  made  of  them  in  the 
gift,  mission,  and  sufferings  of  Christ; — made  that  guilty 
rebels  might  be  pardoned,  reconciled  to  himself,  become  his 
adopted  children,  made  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  his 
own  beloved  Son,  of  "an  inheritance,  incorruptible,  and  un- 
defiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away." 

It  is  also  essential  to  a  just  system  of  religion,  that  the  di- 
vine attributes  be  exhibited  as  harmonious;  and  the  glory  of 
God  as  secured  and  illustrated,  in  all  that  he  is  represented 
as  having  done.  Without  this,  no  rightly  disposed  mind 
could  ever  be  satisfied,  even  if  complete  provision  were  made 
for  its  own  safety.  Now,  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  all  the  di- 
vine attributes  are  perfectly  harmonized.  Here  it  is,  and 
only  here,  that  "  mercy  and  truth  have  met  together,  righte- 
ousness and  peace  have  kissed  each  other."  By  the  cross, 
every  attribute  of  the  Deity  is  shown  immaculate,  and  beam- 
ing with  a  splendour  no  where  else  to  be  seen.  The  highest 
display  of  the  glory  of  God  ever  made  to  the  universe,  was 
made  by  the  cross  of  Christ.  This  glory  is  here  seen,  not 
only  to  be  consistent  with  the  salvation  of  penitent  oflcnders, 
but  to  shine  the  brightest  of  all,  in  the  veri/  act  of  saving 
the  chief  of  sinners — "  Where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much 
more  abound." 

Guilt  is  ever  suspicious  and  fearful.  Hence  the  numerous, 
and  often  cruel  rites  of  all  false  religions,  to  appease  an  in- 
censed Deity.  But  to  the  gospel  penitent,  the  strongest  and 
most  satisfactory  evidence  is  given,  of  certain  pardon  and  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  in  the  doctrine  of  a  crucified  Saviour. 
Divine  justice  is  perfectly  satisfied  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  and 


22 

unites  with  mercy,  in  assuring  the  believiiio;  penitent  tiiat  he 
shall  never  come  into  condemnation.  Here  it  is,  that  "  God 
is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins."  United  by  faith 
to  the  Son  of  God,  as  the  branch  is  united  to  the  vine — iden- 
tified with  Jesus — the  believer  can  no  more  come  into  con- 
demnation, than  the  Saviour  himself.  "  Because  I  live,  ye 
shall  live  also,"  is  his  cheering  assurance  to  all  his  true  dis- 
ciples. 

Again.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  in  religion,  that  the 
most  powerful  motives  should  be  constantly  presented  to  the 
mind,  to  avoid  all  sin,  and  to  discharge  all  known  dut}-. 
And  where  shall  we  find  motives  so  admirably  adapted  to  this 
purpose,  as  we  derive  from  the  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified? 
Can  the  believer  think  of  the  evil  of  sin,  as  seen  in  the  cross, 
and  not  hate  it,  loathe  it,  and  flee  from  it?  Can  he  endure 
the  thought  of  being  in  league  with  the  murderers  of  his 
adored  Lord,  and  of  crucifying  him  afresh?  Must  he  not 
fear  sin  worse  than  death  ?  And  can  he  refuse  any  grateful 
return — for  gratitude  is  the  only  return  he  can  make — to  the 
Saviour  who  redeemed  him  with  his  own  blood?  Is  there 
any  service,  or  any  sacrifice,  that  his  heart  will  permit  him 
to  withhold  from  such  a  Saviour?  Is  there  any  thing,  by 
which  the  religion  of  this  Saviour  can  be  either  adorned  or 
promoted,  that  he  will  not  rejoice  to  do?  Here,  in  fact,  arc 
the  very  motives  which,  from  the  time  of  Paul  to  the  present 
hour,  have  rendered  real  evangelical  Christians,  the  most 
conscientious,  holy,  and  devoted,  of  mankind. 

Once  more.  Every  sensible  sinner,  and  every  real  believer, 
has  a  clear  and  affecting  perception  of  his  own  weakness, 
frailty,  and  proneness  to  sin;  and  full  well  he  knows  that  the 
enemies  of  his  soul,  both  within  him  and  without  him,  are 
numerous,  subtle,  and  powerful.  He  sees  that,  left  to  him- 
self, he  must  certainly  faint  and  fail,  and  might  therefore  de^ 
spair  at  once.  But  he  is  taught  by  the  doctrine  of  Christ 
crucified,  that  he  will  never  be  left  to  himself  His  once 
crucified  Saviour — "  his  great  high  priest  that  is  passed  into 
the  heavens,  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God;,"  will  help  him  to  "  hold 


2S 

fast  his  profession."  His  glorified  Saviour  is  made  head  over 
all  things  to  the  church  which  is  his  hotly.  He  controls,  and 
will  ever  control,  all  the  enemies  of  his  people.  He  sympathises 
with  them,  too,  in  all  their  trials;  and  through  his  strengthen- 
ing them,  "they  can  do  all  things."  While  he  intercedes  for 
them  above,  his  Spirit  intercedes  in  their  hearts,  assists  their 
prayers,  helps  their  infirmities,  carries  on  his  own  work  of 
sanctification,  and  will  carry  it  on,  till  they  shall  be  brought 
off  conquerors  and  more  than  conquerors,  and  grace  shall  be 
completed  in  glory. 

Finally.  .Heavenly  happiness,  exquisite  and  eternal,  seems 
a  reward  altogether  disproportionate  to  the  attainments  and 
services  of  the  best  saint  that  ever  lived  on  earth; — and  no- 
thing that  is  incongruous  will  ever  be  awarded  by  a  perfect 
God.  But  this  incongruity  is  all  removed,  by  the  doctrine 
of  a  crucified  Saviour.  Heavenly  happiness  is  represented 
by  our  apostle  as  "a  purchased  possession."  It  comes  to  the 
believer  in  the  form  of  an  inheritance,  from  his  kinsman  Re- 
deemer, Between  his  infinite  merits  and  the  happiness  of 
heaven,  there  is  no  disproportion,  no  incongruity.  And  the 
reward  of  the  saints,  freely  bestowed  on  all,  will  be  apportioned 
to  each  according  to  the  measure  of  his  love  and  his  labours. 
The  believer,  therefore,  rationally  and  confidently  expects  to 
receive  his  reward,  as  a  gratuitous  legacy,  from  his  infinitely 
meritorious  Saviour;  and  while  his  heart  overflows  with  gra- 
titude for  the  un.speakablc  gift,  he  anticipates  the  happy  mo- 
ment, when,  in  some  humble  place  in  heaven,  he  will  begin 
the  eternal  song  of  praise — "Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us 
kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father;  to  him  be  glor}- 
and  dominion  forever  and  ever.     Amen." 

From  the  sketch  now  given,  very  imperfect  as  it  is,  it  may 
be  seen,  that,  according  to  the  declaration  of  the  apostle  in  the 
context,  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  is  not  only  the  power  of 
God,  but  the  wisdom  of  God: — is  not  only  the  doctrine  to 
which  alone  he  ordinarily  gives  efliciency,  by  the  power  oi 
his  Spirit;  but  the  doctrine  also  in  which  the  divine  wisdom 


24 

IS  most  wonderlully  manifested,  in  adapting  it  to  all  the  cir- 
cumstances of  sinful  men ;  to  all  the  principles  and  powers 
of  their  intellectual  and  moral  nature.  In  using  this  doctrine 
to  convert  the  world — to  bring  sinners  to  repentance  and  to 
edify  and  comfort  saints — the  wisdom  of  God  is  most  appa- 
rent ill  choosing  an  instrument — an  instrument,  which, 
while  it  is  one  exactly  of  which  Jews  and  Greeks,  and  the 
children  of  proud  carnal  wisdom  in  every  age,  never  did,  and 
never  will  see  the  fitness,  is  nevertheless  fitted,  in  the  most 
perfect  manner,  to  perform  the  work  to  which  it  is  destined, 
— "  The  foolishness  of  God  is  wiser  than  men." 

Fathers  and  Brethren  iji  the  Christian  Ministry  : 

How  unspeakably  momentous  to  us,  is  the  subject  that  has 
now  been  under  discussion?  Does  God  bless  the  preaching  of 
Christ  crucified,  and  ordinarily  bless  no  other  kind  of  preach- 
ing? Then,  with  what  solemnity  and  energy,  should  the  in- 
quiry come  home  to  every  one  of  us — is  this  the  character  of 
?ni/  preaching?  Ah !  it  is  fearful  beyond  expression,  to  speak 
as  a  minister  and  ambassador  of  Christ,  and  yet  to  deliver 
something  which  he  will  never  own  as  his  message,  or  follow 
with  his  blessing.  0  !  let  us  ever  keep  in  mind,  that  we  must, 
in  our  humble  measure,  preach  like  Paul,  if  we  expect  to 
meet  with  any  portion  of  Paul's  success. 

In  preaching,  as  in  every  thing  else,  there  may  doubtless  be 
different  degrees  of  excellence;  a  greater  or  a  less  degree  of 
conformity  to  the  apostolick  example :  and  God  may,  and 
often  does,  bless  his  own  truth,  even  when  it  is  mixed  with 
much  human  error  and  imperfection.  Gold  which  is  mingled 
with  much  alloy  is  still  gold,  and  of  real  worth.  Yet  as  the  va- 
lue of  the  metal  is  greatest  when  it  has  no  alloy,  so  evange- 
lical truth  is  the  most  precious  and  useful,  when  its  purity 
reach^  completely  the  gospel  standard.  It  may  therefore  be 
of  some  use  just  to  mention,  both  how  unqualified  counterfeits 
may  be  put  in  its  place,  and  how,  when  something  of  it  is 
retained,  its  worth  may  be  greatly  diminished  by  debasing 
mixtures. 


It  is  manifest,  at  once,  that  those  who  deny  th'e  proper  cii- 
tinity  and  atonement  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  never  can 
preach  the  doctrine  of  a  crucified  Saviour,  as  it  was  preached 
by  Paul.  The  cross  of  the  Redeemer,  indeed,  seems  to  be  a 
real  incumbrance  to  their  whole  system;  rendering  its  defence 
far  more  difficult  than  it  would  be,  if  he  had  not  expired  on  a 
cross,  with  its  attendant  sufferings.  Their  discourses,  of  con- 
sequence, are  found  to  be  as  different  from  those  of  Paul,  as 
if  they  had  been  designed  to  be  so.  But  even  those  who  ex- 
plicitly admit  the  divinity  of  the  Saviour,  and  that,  in  some 
'sense,  he  made  an  atonement  for  sin,  may  still  have  nothing 
in  their  preaching  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified,  as  it  was 
held  and  taught  by  the  apostle.  In  this  class — which  is  in- 
deed a  very  large  one— rail  those  are  included,  who  keep  out 
of  their  pulpit  addresses  all  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the  gos- 
pel; or  only  advert  to  them  slightly,  or  occasionally ;  as  if  on 
purpose  to  show,  that  while  they  do  not  deny  them,  they 
think  them  of  little  importance. — All  your  merely  metaphy- 
sical, logical,  rhetorical,  moral,  and  philosophical  preaching, 
in  which  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  is  seldom  heard,  and  the 
doctrine  of  the  cross  is  never  clearly  set  forth,  is  of  this  de- 
scription. And  even  when  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the  gas- 
pel  are  made  the  subjects  of  discussion,  if  they  are  treated 
wholly  in  a  dry  or  abstract  way,  without  close  and  practical  ap- 
plication,and  with  no  animating  reference  to  the  cross,  there  can 
be  very  little  of  the  manner  of  Paul  in  such  pulpit  performances. 
Nor  can  any  thing  better  be  said  of  those  representations  of 
something  called  an  atonement,  to  which  PauPs  language  in 
describing  it  cannot  fairly  be  applied; — cannot  be  accommo- 
datedj  without  construing  the  apostle's  expressions  in  a  most 
unnatural  and  unwarrantable  manner.  Neither  do  they  preach 
Christ  crucified  as  Paul  did,  who  fill  a  whole  discourse  with 
legal  terror;  with  scarcely  a  word  to  direct  the  alarmed  sin- 
ner to  the  Saviour.  Paul  did  indeed  preach  "  the  terrors  of 
the  Lord,"  and  we  ought  to  preach  them,  and  faithfully  too: 
but  always  as  the  apostle  did — that  we  may  "  persuade  men" 
— persuade  them  to  flee  to  the  Saviour,  while  his  arms  are 


2Q 

open  to  receive  them.  There  may  also  be,  in  those  who 
really  hold  the  truth  in  its  purit}'-,  such  a  want  of  plain  language 
and  simplicity  of  manner  in  stating  it,  as  to  hide  much  of  its 
excellence  from  the  unlearned,  and  greatly  to  abate  its  power 
and  sweetness  with  all  who  love  it.  There  may  likewise  be 
a  deficiency  in  the  frequency  with  which  the  doctrines  of  the 
cross  are  directly  and  distinctly  treated,  in  a  course  of  preach- 
ing; and  a  deficiency,  finally,  in  making  every  thing,  as  holy 
Brainard  well  expresses  it,  "meet  together  and  centre  in 
Christ." 

Beloved  brethren — Let  it  be  understood,  that,  on  the  one 
hand,  I  solemnly  disclaim  all  personal  allusions  in  any  thing  I 
have  said  ;  and  on  the  other,  that  I  desire  not  to  abate  or  soften 
any  censure  which  a  declaration  of  the  truth  may  inflict.  Let 
the  truth  do  its  office  fairly  with  the  consciences  of  us  all. 
We  may  all  profit  by  being  warned  of  the  errors  that  have 
been  specified;  and  if  any  of  us  are  conscious  of  having  com- 
mitted them,  let  us  amend  them  without  delay.  Every  one 
of  us  has  continually  reason  to  be  on  his  guard,  not  to  depart, 
in  his  preaching,  from  ''  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ." 

As  society  advances  in  what  is  called  refinement,  there  is 
alwa5's  an  increase  of  danger,  that  the  plain  truths  of  the  gos- 
pel will  be  refined  away ;  or  in  a  measure  kept  back  or  dis- 
guised, by  those  whose  sacred  office  it  is  to  proclaim  them 
faithfully.     Of  this  danger  the  whole  histo»y  of  the  church 
hitherto,  gives  us  solemn  warning.   And  as  learning,  and  taste, 
and  elegance,  and  wealth,  and  luxury,  are  making  progress 
in  our  country,  who  shall  say  that  they  will  not  disadvanta- 
gcoubly  aficct  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  among  us,  as  they 
have  done  among  others?    Who  can  say  and  prove,  that  this 
effect  has  not  already  been  experienced,  in  some  portions  of 
our  country?  Who  can  affirm  that  nothing  of  the  kind  has 
yet  been  indicated  in  our  own  church?   That  with  us  it  has 
not  made  great  progress,  I  sincerely  believe,  and  rejoice  to 
say.     But  it  is  an  evil,  against  which  we  should   constant- 
ly both  watch  and  pray;  for  Luther's  maxim  is  unquestiona- 
bly just,  that  the  doctrine  we  have  been  considering,  is  the 


27 

tioctrine  of  a  standing  or  a  falling  church.  Of  the  happy  pail 
of  this  alternative  we  are  now  the  living  witnesses.  To  the 
blessing  of  God  on  the  plain  and  faithful  preaching  of  the 
doctrines  of  the  cross,  the  Presbyterian  church  in  the  United 
States  must  attribute  her  remarkable  prosperity  and  increase; 
— the  numerous  happy  revivals  of  religion  which  she  has 
witnessed,  the  unexampled  multiplication  of  her  congregations, 
and  presbyteries,  and  synods,  and  the  enlargement  of  her  boun- 
daries in  all  directions.  And  beyond  a  peradventure,  she  will 
continue  to  increase  and  prosper,  so  long  as  these  doctrines,  in 
theirpurity  and  simplicity,  shall  be  loved,  and  taught,  and  incul- 
cated. But  letthese  doctrines  be  corrupted,  or  become  unfashion- 
able; let  them  even  be  disguised,  or  mutilated,  or  philosophised 
into  obscurity,  and  the  King  of  Zion  will  inscribe  "  ichabod" 
on  our  church — her  glory  will  have  departed,  and  her  pros- 
perity will  terminate.  Yes,  and  in  this  event  it  will  be  de- 
sirable that  it  should  terminate ;  for  the  salvation  of  souls  is 
of  infinitely  more  importance  than  the  prevalence  of  any  re- 
ligious sect,  by  whatever  name  it  may  be  called.  Where- 
fore, I  repeat,  let  us  use  all  the  means  in  our  power,  to  guard 
against  the  corruption  or  neglect  of  the  genuine  evangelical 
doctrines,  and  to  cherish  the  preaching  of  them  plainly,  fully, 
abundantly,  closely,  and  zealously — That  to  this  end  I  might 
contribute  my  mite,  the  subject  of  this  address  was  selected. 
Being  "  such  an  one,"  as  an  aged  minister  of  the  gospel,  I 
determined  to  lay  before  my  brethren  on  this  publick  occa- 
sion, my  views  of  the  manner  in  which  the  gospel  ought  to 
be  exhibited  and  inculcated  by  those  who  preach  it.  This  I 
have  endeavoured  to  do,  as  in  the  near  prospect  of  my  last 
account;  for  to  me  the  hour  for  rendering  that  account  must 
be  near.  And  from  none  of  us,  brethren,  can  it  be  far  dis- 
tant— ^To  some,  it  is  probably  just  at  hand.  Several  of  our 
ministerial  brethren,  who  met  in  this  house  at  the  last  Gene- 
ral Assembly  are  now  in  eternity.  The  past  year  has  been 
marked  by  the  death  of  more  ministers  in  our  communion — 
some  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  others  in  the  meridian  of  their 
usefulness — than  any  other  year  within  my  memory.     Some 


28 

oH  us,  it  is  highly  probable,  have  entered  on  the  last  year  of 
our  ministry  and  our  life.  And  0,  brethren  !  it  must  be  the 
doctrine  of  Christ  crucified  that  must  afford  us  support,  if  we 
find  a  stable  support,  in  the  hour  of  death;  and  ensure  our 
acquittal,  if  we  find  an  acquittal,  at  the  bar  of  our  final  Judge 
— This  precious  doctrine,  therefore,  let  us  embrace  cordially, 
maintain  firmly,  and  preach,  while  we  may,  with  fidelity  and 
zeal. 

Christian  brethren,  who  are  not  in  the  gospel  ministry: 
Be  exhorted,  in  one  word,  to  look  well,  that  it  is  on  Christ 
alone,  that  you  are  resting  your  hopes  for  eternity ;  and  that 
you  are  walking  worthily  of  the  high  vocation  wherewith  ye 
are  called. 

A  crucified  Saviour  has,  I  know,  been  faithfully  preached 
to  the  most  of  those  who  now  hear  me.  And  it  is  a  most 
affecting  thought,  that  any  who  have,  to  this  hour,  held  out 
against  the  Saviour,  have  done  it  in  opposition  to  the  most 
effectual  means  that  God  has  ever  devised,  to  convert  sinners, 
and  to  rieconcile  them  to  himself  .Justly  may  they  fear,  if 
their  impenitence  longer  continue,  that  he  may  swear  in  his 
wrath,  that  they  shall  not  enter  into  his  rest.  Behold,  then^ 
0  impenitent  sinners !  one  free  offer  of  the  Saviour  more  is 
now  made  you;  and  I  entreat  you,  by  all  that  is  dear  and 
sacred,  refuse  it  not,  lest  it  should  prove  the  last.  "  Behold, 
now  is  the  accepted  time;  behold,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation ! 
To  day  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts." 
Amen. 


k  ^ 

V 


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t^HuHHflillt 


